Penn State Univ. on Saturday celebrated the opening of Pegula Ice Arena, and "about two-thirds" of the 1,000-seat student section was filled, according to Christopher Weddle of the CENTRE DAILY TIMES. The men's team "held a midnight practice Saturday -- the first day the team can hold official practice." The team was introduced "as loud music reverberated through the arena." Coach Guy Gadowsky "addressed the crowd, thanking them for their support." He told the fans on hand Sabres Owner Terry Pegula "built this for you." Gadowsky even "took a few questions sent via Twitter from fans during the session, which was to end with a public skating session with the team" (CENTRE DAILY TIMES, 10/6). Gadowsky said of the new arena, "I love it for a number of reasons. One is for our student athletes. It’s fantastic. Its convenient location is great, right in the middle of campus for them, and they've really got everything they need to develop themselves into the best athletes and best hockey players they can. It also has a study lounge, so it makes it easy to incorporate the best in academics and the best of athletics. ... Another reason is that it’s great for the community" (CENTREDAILY.com, 10/5).
